Bandula Saman Kumara, president of the Petroleum, Commercial Services and Industries Progressive Workers’ Union, which operates under the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (Pohottuwa) representing the government, says that the price of the great betrayal of suppressing the trade union leaders and depriving the petroleum resources will have to be paid by the Minister of Energy Kanchana Wijesekera. . He says that all parties led by Mahinda Rajapaksa know the sacrifice that he and other members of his trade union in the petroleum legalized corporation have made to bring the government to power in 2019. But he says that it is very sad that he is not listening to what he is saying now.
Bandula Saman Kumara, president of the union, says that even before the establishment of their own political party, the union leaders led by them formed the Podujana Peramuna Progressive Force. He mentions that its purpose was to secure national resources. The chairman says that he did not expect such treatment at all.
The chairman has said this in an inquiry regarding the sending of mandatory leave to petroleum corporation trade union leaders and banning them from entering the premises of the institution.
“Yesterday (28) morning, we started a satyagraha against the approval of a cabinet paper submitted regarding the transfer of the shares of our petroleum corporation to 03 foreign companies for a period of 20 years. All the trade unions of the corporation joined it. But these authorities did not respond to it. That is why Satyagraha had to be expanded into a strike.
Accordingly, fuel distribution was stopped. Then the security forces were deployed and the authorities forcibly filled the bowsers with oil and sent them away. In that effort, they were able to send out about 10 oil bowsers. Minister Kanchana Wijesekera issued a statement last night that action will be taken against the trade union leaders who did not cooperate and did not allow the corporation employees to report for duty.
In a statement issued early today (29) signed by the chairman of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation and the chairman of the Ceylon Petroleum Warehouse and Terminal Company, it was stated that the union leaders who were working to block the fuel distribution services by putting pressure on the employees engaged in the fuel distribution services. That the management of the corporation has decided to send compulsory leave.
Bandula Saman Kumara, president of the Petroleum, Commercial Services and Industries Progressive Workers’ Union, which operates under the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (Pohottuwa), said in the announcement that they will be banned from entering the company premises.
